1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vehicle occupant restraints. More specifically this invention relates to seat belt restraints and still more particularly to seat belt extenders to ease the location and buckling of seat belt devices.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of seat belt devices are well known in the prior art, however, most prior primary vehicle occupant restraint systems employ anchors fixed in location and do not address the ease of use requirements of large or heavily clothed occupants.
For general background material, the reader is directed to the following United States patents, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference for the material disclosed therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,749 describes a safety belt installation designed to enable a vehicle user to accede to and leave his seat easily and to ensure that the user is necessarily wearing his safety belt when he is seated, with no catch or buckle being required.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,381 describes a passenger restraint safety system for a passenger type automobile having a chassis, a passenger seat and a door providing access to said passenger seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,915 describes a seat belt extender for positioning a seat belt being unwound from a seat belt retractor, that includes two or more multiplastic sleeves telescopically slidable relative one another between retracted and extended positions and having belt passages through which the belt passes from the retractor toward the occupant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,012 describes a child car seat having an improved restraint system in which the restraint system may be easily connected and disconnected, automatically placed about the child in the proper position, and automatically adjusted to properly secure the child within the seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,673 describes a seat belt system for use with a vehicle seat, which includes a three point belt system forming a lap belt and a shoulder belt and further includes a second shoulder belt to form a four point system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,446 describes a seat belt presenter for an active seat belt system for restraining a vehicle occupant that includes a guide having surfaces, which surround opposite major side surfaces of belt webbing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,933 describes a seat belt assembly in a vehicle for restraining an occupant that includes a lap-shoulder belt assembly and a lap-shoulder belt extender assembly.